


a promise

by TrashiestofTrash



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Major V3 Spoilers, i dont even ship this what
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 12:46:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13054290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashiestofTrash/pseuds/TrashiestofTrash
Summary: Rantaro smiles something stupid, and his hand is outstretched again. It’s an offer, a promise. One that will never be fulfilled. “It’s all gonna be alright, Tsumugi. Trust me.”





	a promise

She’s ever aware of the growing anxiety in the school, the desperation to escape weighing down more and more with each hour. Kaede’s already developed a plan to save everyone, she’s so determined and Shuichi is unaware, so unaware to her plot, wanting nothing more to assist her. Kaede’s enthusiasm blinds her to the wide margin of error in her plot, but she’ll believe it to the end. There’s such an exciting execution planned out for her, the noose is practically tied around her neck as she travels here and there with her darling detective. There’s always been something strangely satisfying in seeing the characters she had worked so hard on interact with the environment of the killing game, seeing just how fear works as a given motivation. It hasn’t gotten old, even after so many games, so many deaths. The audience adores it, they thrive on it. 

For now, she walks. She’s so plain, no one bothers casting an eye on her. The characters moving into their respective places fail to notice her almost entirely, noting her down as the ‘cosplayer girl’ or something of that nature. It’s the perfect position, hidden in plain sight. She’s so lost in thought that she doesn’t realize just who she’s bumped into. Her legs topple over each other, and she falls.

She looks into green eyes, and instinctively recoils. He laughs in that carefree way, but it doesn’t feel right. His hand is extended, reaching out to her, the nails bare but trimmed. He smiles at her, it’s so open and genuine. The irony of him helping her after everything she’s put him through. She remembers his smile from the last time around, growing so attached to her. She remembers his despair at the end, and remembers it well. And she remembers his hope too, his sacrifice. 

She takes his hand.

“Sorry ‘bout that.” His hand rubs the back of his head in that usual manner, a character trait she remembers assigning herself. 

“Oh, it’s fine. I’m so plain, I honestly don’t blame you.”

He frowns a bit, not saying anything to disprove her claim but not looking pleased with it. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Hm… yeah, I guess so. It’s just the deadline--”

He falls for her casual reminder of the killing game’s threat. “Don’t worry. I’ve got something figured out--”

“Eh?”

“I’m going to end this killing game.” His determination, even now, never wavers. It’s always pushed forward, even to his demise. As he says those words, he becomes nothing but a corpse to her. All his work, the advantage of the survivor perk, his memories-- meant nothing, really. At the end of the day, they’d find him dead. Kaede would be the culprit, regardless of whether or not her plan succeeded. She’d be executed, he’d be dead, and the game would continue to it’s satisfying battle of hope and despair. Then it’d happen all over again, back to the writer’s room to brainstorm new characters and executions and talents and ideals, make the ordinary extraordinary. Break them down again. Dream up new executions. Thrown into the game again. Write a relationship. Then it’s back to the game again. 

Rantaro smiles something stupid, and his hand is outstretched again. It’s an offer, a promise. One that will never be fulfilled. “It’s all gonna be alright, Tsumugi. Trust me.” 

She takes his hand, and nods a thank you. As he waves goodbye and goes off into the world, she stares down at her hand. She remembers their rivalry in nail-painting, perhaps if they managed to meet again she could paint his nails--

At Motherkuma’s signal, she opens the door and slams the shot put into the back of his head. There’s that familiar sadness that rings out whenever she kills off a character, part of her sad to see them go so soon. There’s a second of reluctance to grab the survivor perk and failed shot put. Her eyes latch onto his hand. A failure of a promise, something that might have driven him further. Some hope of escape, ended with the force of a shot put. It’s a pitiful end for him. Some fans adored him, that she knew. Others simply despised him. The reactions were going to be entertaining, that was certain. 

As she disappears behind the bookcase, she can hear the shuffling of feet and a scream. And with the discovery of his body, Kaede became the culprit, and she was certain of her crimes. The noose tightens around her neck. 

She can’t bring herself to grieve Rantaro, not as she’s running to try and meet up with the rest of them. Tears don’t fall, she remains as plain and boring as always. She goes into the library, she rejoins the group, and she reacts as expected of her. 

While the focus deviates from her, all eyes are glued to the body, a variety of emotions spilling over the room. She looks down at her hand, the same that had held the shot put only a few minutes ago. There’s a small fleck of blood on it, not visible unless you were looking for it. It stares back at her, and she can hear his wasted promise of escape in her ears. 

She wipes the blood on her jacket, a final farewell to a beloved character. So much effort to survive, gone. And with the disappearance of the bloodstain, Tsumugi forgets him.

**Author's Note:**

> heyo, feel free to check out my tumblr appleshavecaffeine.tumblr.com   
> I haven't written fic in forever haha sorry if it sucks :v


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